Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

RSVP

Please Click Here To RSVP

RSVP

Please Click Here To RSVP

UFS hosts national Indigenous Knowledge and Bio-Trade Indaba

23 November 2022 | Story André Damons

The Department of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS), together with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), is hosting the first Indigenous Knowledge and Bio-Trade Indaba on the Bloemfontein Campus. The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and TIA are the sponsors of the event.

Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, Professor and Director of Pharmacology, will play host to the various stakeholders to network and share knowledge on current developments in indigenous knowledge research and product development, biodiversity, innovation, and commercialisation of the IK-based research products. The Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) for Health unit in the Department of Pharmacology within the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences was last year awarded an annual Technology Innovation Agency Platform (TIA) grant of R17 million for the next five years.

The research and teaching programme in the School of Clinical Medicine has since been rebranded and is now known as the African Medicines Innovation and Technology Development Platform (AMITD), which will strive to respond to community health needs and address industry research needs and challenges.

The indaba will showcase progress made by TIA and other entities in enriching the development and commercialisation of IK-based innovations. It will take place from 24 to 25 November 2022 in the Equitas Senate Hall at the UFS.

Prof Matsabisa is the chairperson of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Expert Advisory Committee on Traditional Medicines for COVID-19. He is also a visiting professor at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) in Beijing, China, and the Deputy President of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.

News Archive

Limpopo government department receives Sign Language qualification

2012-04-25

At the certificate ceremony were, from the left: Wisani Mashamba, Deputy Manager: Human Resources and Development in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo; Dr Philemon Akach, Head of the Department of South African Sign Language; Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic; and Ms Fhumulani Maguga, Senior Manager: Human Resources and Development in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo.
Photo: Stephen Collett
25 April 2012

Certificates were awarded to a group of staff members from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo who successfully completed a short course in South African Sign Language at the University of the Free State (UFS). Fourteen staff members from this department received their certificates at a ceremony on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic, said the UFS was the first tertiary institution in the country, and in Africa, to present Sign Language as an academic course. Prof. Hay urged the 14 men and women who received their certificates to use the qualification to make a difference in the lives of others.

Dr Philemon Akach, Head of the Department of South African Sign Language, mentioned the difficulties that deaf people still have to cope with. “Poverty and neglect is rife. In this country you have to toyi-toyi to be heard. If deaf people toyi-toyi, will they be heard?”

Ms Fhumulani Maguga, Senior Manager: Human Resources and Development in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo, said her department is looking into future partnerships with the UFS.

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept